Mixer for oils and gases



lock.. 19 ,1926, '1,503,383 J. E. FITZPATRICK u l MIXER FORl .OILS AND GASES Filed Ap'Iil 24, 1922 z/of if@ OJJW/J/yzn/g STATS fi'FlCE.

JOSEPH E. FITZIATRICK, OF ANAHEITII, CALIFORNIA.

MIXER FOR OILS .AND GASES.

Application filed April 24,

This invention has to do with a mixer and more particularly wit-h a fluid mixer such as may be used to mix two fluids of different or varying specific gravities to produce a fluid, or mixture of fluids, of a uniform specific gravity.

An object of the present invention is to provide a mixer which is automatic, effective, reliable and simple. The device of the present invention, although applicable to use in various industries and for handling various fluids, is particularly desirable and useful for mixing hydrocarbon gases and liquids to produce a liquid hydrocarbon of a predef termined specific gravity.

For the purpose of setting forth my invenA tion in a clear and concise manner so that itsl various objects and features will be fully understood, I will herein describe a typical preferred form of it adapted to be used tc mix hydrocarbon liquids and gases, throughout which description reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the apparatus embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of a control valve such as may be used in carrying out the present invention; Fig. 3 is an en larged detail sectional view taken as indicated by lin-e 3 3 on Fig. 1; and Fig. /lis a fragmentary plan sectional view taken at the overflow opening of the container.

The present invention provides, generally, a fluid container 10, fluid conduits 11 and 12 for delivering fluid into the container 10, means 13 for regulating the admission of fluid into the container 10, and a conduit 14 for conducting fluid from the container 10. In practice the fluid container is preferably in the form of a completely enclosed tank, the proportions and design of which may be such as to meet the conditions und-er which the apparatus is to operate.

The conduit 11, in the particular form of the invention disclosed in the drawings, connects the container 10 with a supply tank 15. In the arrangement illustrated in the drawings the supply tank 15 is at an elevation higher than the container 10 so that liquid, such as liquid hydrocarbons, will flow or feed by gravity from the supply tank 15 to the container 10. A stop valve 16 is provided in the conduit 11 at the supply tank 15 so that the connection between the tank 15 and the 1922. Serial No. 556,278.

container 1() can be positively cut off when desired.

The conduit 12, in the particular form of the invention being disclosed, is adapted to conduct gases, such as hydrocarbon gases, to the container 10, which gases it may receive from a gas holder, from the upper parts of tanks or containers holding liquids, or from any other available source. In the drawings I have illustrated a pump 17 in the conduit 12 which may be operated to deliver the gases to the contain-er 10 under some pressure in the event the gases are not supplied to the conduit 12 under the proper ressure.

In accordance with the preferred form of the invention the conduits 11 and 12 both discharge into the bottom or lower portion of the container 10 and preferably discharge through distributing pipes 18 and 19 respectively. The gases are absorbed by the liquid so that the specific gravity of the liquid inv the container 10 is lower than that of the liquid in tank 15. The distributing pipes 1S and 19 may be perforated pipes arranged in the lower part of the container 10 in about the manner illustrated in the drawings. Further, in accordance with the preferred form of the invention the distributer pipes 18 or 19 are encased or housed in a casing 20 of gauze or the like. The gauze casing 2O operates to break up large bodies of fluid of one kind, causing the fluids issuing from the distributing pipes to be more or less intimately mixed as they pass through the casing 20. In a case such as is being herein set forth the perforations, or small openings 21, in the distributing pipes 18 and 19 operate to distribute and divide the gases from conduit 12 and the liquid from conduit 11 while the gauze casing 2O acts to further divide the gases and liquids and to caus-e them to be intimately mixed.

In the wall of the container 10 at a point well above the bottom of the container and the distributing pipes 18 and 19, there is an overflow opening 22. This opening 22 is preferably in the form of a slot and is horizontally disposed, as I have illustrated in the drawings. rIhe conduit 14, which I will hereinafter term the overflow conduit, is connected with the opening 22 to receive liquid passing out of the container through the opening 22 and conduct it to a storage tank 23.

The means 13 provided by the present invention for regulating the flow of fluid to the container comprises, in the particular form of the invention illustrated in the drawings, a valve 2i arranged in one of the conduits which delivers fluid to the container and preferably in the conduit 11, and a float 25 arranged in the container 10 and connected with the stem 26 of the valve 2st. The float 25 is located in the container 10 at about the lever of the overflow opening 22 so that it is'in the liquid in the container 10 when the liquid is standing to the level of the overtlow opening 22. lVhen the liquid in the container 10 is standing up to the overllow opening and 'is of a predetermined specilic gravity the float 25 will float in the liquid so that it holds the valve stein 26 in a position where the valve 2st is closed. If the specific gravity of the liquid at the upper part ofthe body of liquid in the rcontainer lowers, that is if this density of the liquid at the upper portion of the body decreases, the `float 25 will lower somewhat in the liquid, allowing the valve 2li to open in proportion, thus allowing a certain amount of liquid from the tan'k 15 to flow into the container 10. The liquid from the tank 15 being of higher specilic gravity than the gases being supplied through conduit 12, causes the specilic gravity of the liquid in the container 10 to rise until it causes the float to again close or regulate the valve so that the supply of liquid is decreased or cut olf. In other words, the means 13 is controlled by the specific vgravity of the liquid at the upper part of the body of liquid in the container 10 and operates to control the tlow of one of the fluids, in this case the liquid, to the lcontainer so that the proportion of the two fluids being mixed varies from time to time so that the liquid which overflows through the opening 22 is yof certain specific gravity.

In order that the apparatus may be adjusted or regulated so that the specilic gravity ot the liquid overflowing through the openi g may be varied or changed as desired means is provided for adjusting the float in the container 10. In the particulai1 forni of construction shown in the drawings the float is not adjusted relative to the valve 24; or the valve stem 26 as it might obviously be, but the valve 25 is carried in a U-shaped section of the conduit 11 so that it is within the container 10 and is bodily adjustable vertically. The legs 31 of the U-shaped section 3J) of the conduit 11 slidably extend upwardly into downwardly opening parts 82 of the conduit 11 in the manner clearly illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The U-shaped section SO, carrying the valve 2-t and therefore the float 25, may be adjusted vertically by a suitable screw mechanism 3i such as I have illustrated in Fig. 1. In practice suitable packing glands 35 are provided at the connections between the legs 81 of the sections 3() and the parts 32 so that these connections are fluid-tight. It will be obvious how adjustnient of the float 25 vertically in the container 10 will operate to vary the operation of the means 13 and therefore to vary the specific gravity of the liquid overflowing at the overflow opening 22. In practice, ot' course, the valve 24 and the various other parts of the apparatus may be constructed and designed so that they are accurate and delicate thus making it possible to regulate the apparatus so that the liquid overflowing through the opening` 22 is uniformly of eX- actly the desired specilic gravity.

The particular apparatus which I have illustrated in the drawings is adapted to operate under a slight pressure so, therefore, a pressure equalizing pipe 40 is provided between the top 'of the supply tank 15 vand the top of container 10, and a suitable trap 41 is provided in the conduit 1-1 between the container 10 and storage tank 23. The pressure equalizing pipe Lit) connects the upper part of the tank 15 and container v10 so that the liquid will readily 'flow by gravity from the tank 15 to the container 10 inthe manner hereinabove described. vrPhe particular trap l1 which I have illustrated in the drawings comprises a casing Lt2 into the upper part of which the liquid from vthe container 10 is discharged, and a cup 43 arranged in the casing Ll2 so that it faces or opens downward. rlhe liquid discharges from the upper part of the cup i3 through a conduit 453 which connects with a section of the conduit 14 which leads to `the storage tank 23. In operation there is a slight pressure in the container 10 while the storage tank 23 is under atmospheric pressure. The pressure in the container 10 is communicated to the trap 41 causing the liquid therein to be forced down around the cup 43 and up into the cup 43 so that it discharges into the conduit Ll5 at the upper part of the cup 43.

From the foregoing description it is believed that the operation of the apparatus will be clearly understood. The float 25 is adjusted through whatever means may be provided so that the low of liquid, for instance liquid hydrocarbon, from tank 15, to the container 1() is regulated so that there is always just suliicient liquid hydrocarbon in the container 10 to absorb and mix with the hydrocarbon gases supplied to the container 10 through the conduit 12 to produce a liquid mixture of the desired specificv gravity.

In view of the fact that I have herein disclosed only atypical preferred form of my invention, and in view vof the various obvious applications and modifications of the invention, I do not wish to limit myself to the particular details hereinabove set IPO forth but wish to reserve to myself any changes or variations that may appear to those skilled in the art or fall within the scope of the following claims.

Having described a preferred form of my invention, I claim l. In fluid mixing apparatus, a fluid container, distributing pipes in the lower part of the container, conduits connected with the distributing pipes, one conduit delivering liquid to the container and one delivering gas to the container, and means controlled by the specic gravity of mixed fluids in the container for regulating the flow through one of the conduits.

2. In fluid mixing apparatus, a fluid container, distributing pipes in the lower part of the container, a gauze casing around the distributing pipes, conduits connected with the distributing pipes, one conduit delivering liquid to the container and one delivering gas to the container, and means controlled by the specific gravity of mixed fluids in the container for regulating the flow through one of the conduits.

3. In fluid mixing apparatus, a fluid container having an overflow opening, conduit connected with the container for delivering fluids to be mixed to the container, and means controlled by the specihc gravity of the mixed fluids in the container for regulating the flow of fluid to the container including a valve in one of the conduits, a float in the container and operatively connected with the valve, and means for adjusting the level of the float relative to the overflow opening. y

4. In fluid mixing apparatus, a fluid container having an overflow opening, conduits connected with the container for delivering fluids to be mixed to the container, one of the conduits having a movable part, a valve in said movable part, a float in the container and operatively connected with the valve,

and means for moving said movable part to adjust the float to change its elevation relative to the overflow opening.

5. In fluid mixing apparatus, a fluid con-4 tainer having an overflow opening, conduits connected with the container for delivering fluids to be mixed to the container, one of the conduits having a movable part in the container, a valve in said movable part, a float, in the container and operatively connected with the valve, and means for moving said movable part to adjust the float to change its elevation relative to the overflow opening.

6. In combination, a fluid mixing chamber, al supply tank, a pressure equalizing connection between the tank and chamber, conduits connecting into the container to deliver fluids to it to be mixed, one of the conduits connecting the tank with the chamber, a valve in said last mentioned conduit, and a float in the container opera-tively connected with the valve whereby the valve is controlled by the specific gravity of the fluids in the container.

7. In fluid mixing apparatus, a fluid container having an overflow opening, a storage tank, a fluid connection between the overflow opening and the storage tank, a liquid supply tank arranged above the container, a conduit connecting the supply tank with the container, said conduit having a movable part in the container, a gas conduit connected with the container, distributing pipes in the lower part of the container to receive the liquid and gas from the conduits, a valve in said movable part, a float in the container operatively connected with the valve, and means for adjusting said movable part vertically in the container.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name tllis 14th day of April, 1922.

JOSEPH E. FITZPATRIGK. 

